Video: McGeechan finds big piece of the Carnegie jigsaw

Eight new investors are injecting between £2m and £4m into the club before the end of the 2016-17 season with the intent of helping create a sustainable Premiership club.

With McGeechan overseeing the development of an integrated academy system across the whole county – which is progressing ahead of schedule – and the money in place, the former British and Irish Lions guru believes the appointment of Redpath is a significant piece of the jigsaw.

“The appointment of Bryan reflects the feeling of the new board and the new people who are supporting the club,” he said. “It’s a great statement of their intent that they wanted someone of the calibre of Bryan to come in and head up the whole operation.

“And that’s what he’ll do. This is going to be a collective progress and a collective challenge for us all to work together and say ‘right, we’re going to take this club forward and have a real good journey together’.”

McGeechan lured Redpath away from Sale, having known the former Gloucester head coach since 1992, when he first called him up to the Scotland squad.

“Bryan is honest, he’s open, he’s got a very good rugby brain,” said McGeechan.

“You could see that when he was a player, playing at scrum-half and leading an international side.

“He’s very clear about what he wants, and his knowledge of the game is really extensive which will help some of the younger players coming through.

“But also tactically and technically for the whole team I think we’ll get a real clarity because he has that understanding about what makes good sides.”